Howard Lake-Waverly Herald, Dec. 17, 2001

Fair board enters county-city squabble over water tower

The Wright County Fair Board discussed its new, unwanted,
role in an ongoing dispute over the new Howard Lake water tower during the
county board meeting Tuesday.

The board indicated it felt caught between the county and
the City of Howard Lake over the issue, and hoped that increased communication
would be the answer.

Members of the fair board wanted to add their perspective
to the issue, which centers on a disagreement over a contract for the city
to construct a water tower on fairgrounds property.

The contract was a verbal agreement made between a former
city council and the county. Tensions flared up over the past six months
when the county attempted to get a written contract signed of the verbal
agreement.

To no one's surprise, both parties had different ideas
about what was agreed upon.

The two sides have grown more adamant about their positions
over recent months and the fair board cited an Internet article on the Howard
Lake-Waverly Herald website, which printed a letter sent to the county in
its entirety at the request of the city council.

The fair board disputed a number of items, including the
city's contention that the county fair is a county function.

The fair board is a separate entity, and does not figure
into the cost of sewer and water service not being charged by the city,
board members said.

The fair board presented the county board with a list of
18 positive aspects of the fairgrounds for the City of Howard Lake and asked
that the county understand that the fair board is caught in the middle of
the debate.

Commissioner Dick Mattson asked fair board members to make
a similar presentation to the city council, but, as far as reaching any
agreement over the water tower issue, it would seem neither side is willing
to budge - which the county says is the fault of changing personnel two
years ago on the Howard Lake city council.

"The agreement we reached was that if we let Howard
Lake build a water tower there, we would get free sewer and water for the
fair," Commissioner Jack Russek said. "Unfortunately, a lot of
the people who negotiated the contract for the city are gone and it looks
like (their replacements) have changed their minds."

The board was scheduled to discuss the matter in committee
Dec. 12, but no progress was expected to be made.

It was noted by board members that no certificate of accident
liability for the water tower or certificate of insurance has been secured,
which would protect both the county and city in the event of accident at
the site. The insurance is hampered by the lack of a contract.